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KFC Faces Suit Over Expired Chicken

April 19, 2012

Fried-chicken chains are not having a good week. First, the NY Daily News brings to light the multiple DOH-related closings of Kennedy Fried Chicken and Crown Fried Chicken restaurants in New York City. Now, a former employee of a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant in Oregon is claiming in a lawsuit that his manager forced him to fry up and serve green, expired chicken.

The employee, James McNeal, is suing the fried chicken chain for loss of earnings and other damages after he was allegedly fired for refusing to serve rotten chicken to KFC customers, according to the lawsuit (accessed via HuffPo).

Apparently, KFC branches receive boxes of fresh chicken that must be served within 12 days of the “kill date” stamped on the box. McNeal claims that his manager forced him to fry chicken that had been sitting in the restaurant cooler for several days after this 12-day period, even though it stank and was light-green in color.

The suit doesn’t mention any KFC diners complaining about the chicken’s taste. Is it really possible that thick batter and an oil bath can hide the flavor of rotting meat?